<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Presumed Guilty by Rocky_T</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26216185">Presumed Guilty</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rocky_T/pseuds/Rocky_T'>Rocky_T</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tightrope [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Voyager</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s01e08 Ex Post Facto, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:22:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,110</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26216185</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rocky_T/pseuds/Rocky_T</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kathryn seeks a rapprochement with Tom after he's wrongly accused of murder on an alien world.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kathryn Janeway &amp; Tom Paris, Kathryn Janeway/Owen Paris</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tightrope [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1797067</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Presumed Guilty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Many thanks to Seema for her usual excellent beta.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Captain Kathryn Janeway signaled for entry and waited patiently outside the cabin. Moments later, Tom Paris opened the door.</p><p>“Captain,” he said, seeming surprised to see her.</p><p>She gave him her best command smile. “May I come in?”</p><p>“Uh, sure.” He stepped aside to allow her to enter. She was in full uniform, her hair bound up in its bun, looking every inch the captain. Despite her appearance, however, her motivation for this call was personal in nature. </p><p>In contrast, Tom was in T shirt and sweats, his hair tousled. The room was in a state of disarray with piles of clothes and PADDs, and an occasional dirty cup or plate, covering almost every possible surface. The air smelled strongly of <i>eau de locker room.</i></p><p>“Sorry about the mess,” Tom said apologetically as he scooped up an armload of items off the sofa, adding it to a larger mound on the floor. “I wasn’t exactly expecting any company.”</p><p>“It’s all right,” Janeway said, gesturing him to stop. “I’m not—” she broke off before finishing the rest of her sentence. <i>I’m not your mother</i>. That was the whole crux of their relationship, right there. “I’m not here to do a formal inspection,” she said instead. “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”</p><p>“Not all, Captain,” Tom said stiffly, his expression and body language at odds with his words.</p><p>Janeway winced inwardly as she took a seat on the cleared section of the sofa, hoping he would do the same. To her relief, Tom picked up an empty coffee cup from a nearby chair and sat down as well. He seemed to be waiting for her to speak first.</p><p>“How are you doing?” she asked. Tom had just been through a terrible ordeal, accused of murdering a prominent Banean scientist and sentenced to reliving the murder – through the memories of the victim – on a repeating basis. Whether it was because of a basic incompatibility with the Human brain, or due to the doctored images themselves, the punishment had taken a heavy toll. If the implanted memories hadn’t been removed, Tom would have suffered permanent brain damage. Fortunately, Tuvok had been able to discover the real murderer – and more importantly, the motivation in framing Tom, to use him as an unwitting carrier of information to the Baneans’ enemies. </p><p>Instead of answering, Tom adopted a defensive posture, folding his arms against his chest. “Why are you here?” </p><p>Surprised, she started to say, “I wanted to see--” </p><p>“No, why are you <i>here</i>, in my quarters?” he interrupted. “You could have found out my medical status from the Doctor, in fact, you probably already did if you knew I was discharged from Sickbay.  Did you come to rub it in my face that I screwed up once again?” </p><p>“You were punished for something you didn’t do, but you <i>did</i> make yourself an easy target,” Janeway acknowledged. She couldn’t help adding, “Your flirtation with Lidell Ren may not have crossed any actual lines, but it presented the opportunity for her – and her lover – to frame you for Tolen’s murder. You let your guard down for a pretty face, and it nearly cost you your sanity.”</p><p>“Chakotay already suggested I do a remedial review of the First Contact handbook,” Tom said sourly. “You know, the section they wrote specifically with James T. Kirk and his exploits in mind.”</p><p> “I wouldn’t go that far,” Janeway said, wishing she could take back her earlier words, “but perhaps everyone should have a refresher of the protocols, as we are in new and uncharted part of the galaxy.” She paused. “First contact has always been fraught with potentially dangerous situations, and we need to be even more cautious in the future. Unfortunately, you ended up being collateral damage in the conflict between the Baneans and the Numiri. But you didn’t deserve what happened to you.”</p><p>“Damn straight I didn’t,” Tom said vehemently. He swallowed. “Being accused of murder is one thing, but what they did to me…I felt violated.”</p><p>“You were,” Janeway said quietly. “What they did was mind-rape, inflicting those false memories on you, and not just once but repeatedly…” </p><p>Tom exhaled forcefully. “Yes.”</p><p>Janeway felt herself growing angry all over again as she thought about how the Banean traitor had endangered Tom’s life just to use him as a pawn. “I see now it was a mistake allowing you and Harry to go to the Banean homeworld without a comprehensive assessment of the true state of affairs with the Numirians. Our presence made you an easy target and the perfect courier to take Professor Ren’s secrets to the Numiri. And they almost got away with it.” Truth be told, that last part incensed her more than anything.</p><p>“Thank goodness for the dog,” Tom said. At her puzzled expression, he quickly explained how Lidell Ren’s dog, Neeka, had responded to her lover’s presence, making it clear that the man was a familiar guest in the household and had the motive, means and opportunity to commit the murder. “Add in the height differential between us, as seen from the victim’s perspective, and Tuvok was able to prove I was innocent.”</p><p>Janeway took a deep breath, reminding herself the crisis was past. “Fortunately, the Doctor assures me with time, you should make a full recovery.” </p><p>Tom looked at her, a curious expression on his face. “Tell me, would you have allowed the Baneans to do the memory implant if you’d been notified ahead of time?”</p><p>Janeway hesitated. “On the one hand, it’s important to show respect for the planetary culture and law. On the other hand, when someone, especially an outsider, is accused of such a serious crime, he should be given the opportunity to mount a defense. Which clearly did not happen.” <i>Voyager</i> had only received word of the murder <i>after</i> Tom had been declared guilty and the sentence already carried out. “We couldn’t storm in there with firepower and just pull you out,” she said, her voice half-pleading for him to understand. “We were told that only the Baneans could safely remove the implants – even after they were clearly causing damage. But the Doctor could have tried – <i>would</i> have tried to remove them all the same.”</p><p>“Glad to hear it,” Tom said, his casual tone at odds with the emotions playing across his face. “Even after the fact.” </p><p>But Janeway was just getting warmed up. “The penalty handed out by the Baneans wasn’t meant for a transient just passing through, but for a criminal who had to live each day for the rest of his life in the surroundings in which he’d committed the crime. For that reason alone, you should never have been subjected to this. As for your guilt being determined solely by the victim’s memories… if <i>Voyager</i> had been notified in time of the charges against you, we might have been able to prevent it altogether.”</p><p>Tom had never taken his eyes off her during her recitation. He slumped a little now, as if he’d run out of steam. “Well, I guess it’s good to know you were willing to go to bat for me,” he said tiredly.</p><p>Automatically, she said, “I’d have done the same for any member of my crew.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the expression on his face made her think this may have been the wrong thing to say.</p><p>“You really mean that?”</p><p>She looked at him, trying to gauge if he was upset. “I don’t understand.”</p><p>“Your loyalty to the Starfleet crew, someone like Harry Kim,” Tom said, leaning forward slightly. Unnoticed, the nearly-empty cup in his hands dropped to the floor. It left a pool of liquid but didn’t break. “Of course you’d jump in to help or rescue him under such circumstances. Not that Harry would’ve ever gotten himself involved in something like this,” he added sardonically. “But what about the Maquis? Wouldn’t you just write them off saying, well, what can you expect, they’re not really <i>my</i> crew. Just a bunch of people you’re stuck with for the duration.”</p><p>“All my talk about combining the crew wasn’t just lip service,” she said evenly, trying not to let her anger at his accusation show. “I meant it. I don’t care how someone started out, Starfleet or Maquis or Delta Quadrant natives such as Neelix and Kes. Once I accept someone, they’re <i>my</i> crew and I am going to do my damnedest for <i>all</i> of them.”</p><p>“Ah,” Tom said, leaning back, a knowing smirk on his face. “But then there’s me.”</p><p>Janeway was suddenly tired of all the fencing the two of them had been engaged in from the start of the journey. “Let’s just cut the crap. I don’t know what you want from me, Tom. You clearly don’t want any personal considerations. You’ve made that evident since you set foot on <i>Voyager</i>. Actually, from where I sit, you’ve resented me from the very beginning of our association, for the crime of marrying your father. In your mind, you’ve lumped me together with what you perceive as his disapproval—”</p><p>“--of his turning his back on me!” Tom interrupted. “And it’s not just my perception. You’ve obviously seen it, too.”  </p><p>Janeway paused to collect to her thoughts. “Do you know why I approached you when you were in prison?”</p><p>“Because you wanted my help,” he said right away. “You were looking for any advantage you could get to go after the Maquis.”</p><p>“And because I thought it was a damn shame for you to have thrown your life away!” Janeway said, her voice rising in volume. “You lost your way after Caldik Prime, and compounded that mistake with every step you took afterwards. Joining the Maquis and getting thrown into prison as a result--by the time I saw you, you’d hit rock bottom but there was no reason you had to stay that way.  <i>Everybody</i> deserves a second chance in my book, especially when they weren’t given a fair shake to begin with.” </p><p>A surprised expression crossed Tom’s features. “You think I was treated unfairly for what happened at Caldik Prime? That I shouldn’t have been dishonorably discharged from Starfleet?” </p><p>“If you’d come clean right away it might have made a difference,” she hedged.</p><p>“It would have made a difference if my <i>father</i> had bothered to intercede on my behalf, but he couldn’t even be bothered to show up at my final hearing,” Tom said heatedly. “Nor did he show up when I was captured and tried for being a member of the Maquis.”</p><p>Janeway took a deep breath. <i>This wasn’t about Owen</i>, she reminded herself. “With the right support, you might have been able to apply for reinstatement after a few years,” she admitted, choosing to ignore his statement about the Maquis. “Or, you could have sat down and figured out what you wanted to do with your life, something <i>else</i> worthwhile. Starfleet isn’t the end all and be all, you know.”</p><p>Tom’s mouth dropped open. “I can’t believe you just said that.”</p><p>“Heresy, right?” Janeway smiled despite herself. “Like you, I’m a Starfleet brat. My father was also an admiral, and I never remember a time when I didn’t consider a career in Starfleet. It was the <i>only</i> choice that I could see. But my sister chose a different path, and in the process managed not to rebel against everything our father stood for.”</p><p>Tom stood and stretched, as if driven by a compulsion to move. “My sisters never went for Starfleet either, but it wasn’t expected of them.” He half turned away from her so she only saw his profile. “It <i>was</i> expected of me,” he said softly. “To be the bearer of all my father’s hopes and dreams...”</p><p>“They were a heavy burden,” she said in understanding. “Whether meant unkindly or not, they were still a burden.” </p><p>“Yes,” Tom said. He began to pace back and forth. “To be fair, I guess it wasn’t always like that. There was one time, when I was 8 years old, my father took me up in a shuttle. After a while, he let me handle the controls…”</p><p>Janeway closed her eyes, remembering Owen telling this story, many times. </p><p>“…I know he really wanted to step in when the going got tough,” Tom continued, “but I insisted that I had it, that I could <i>do</i> it, and suddenly I did.”</p><p>“Your father was so proud of you that day,” Janeway said softly. “I think it was then he began to envision you as a pilot in Starfleet.” </p><p>“That was when it all started,” Tom agreed. “I think that’s my best memory of him, the last time I can remember him being proud of me.”</p><p>“You must have been around 11 years old when the <i>Icarus</i> mission took place,” Janeway said in sudden realization. Cautiously, she said, “Do you remember anything about that?”</p><p>Tom sat back down, his hands knotted loosely in his lap. “That was around the time he took a leave of absence from the Academy, wasn’t it?”</p><p>“That’s right.”</p><p>“I remember I missed my father, and then suddenly he was back home, months before we’d expected him. My sisters were a lot older than me, they’d both already moved out, but now they were back home as well and there were a lot of whispered conversations, especially at night after I went to bed.” Tom paused. “No one told me anything except that my father was sick. He spent a long time in Starfleet Medical and even after he was discharged, he was different.” Tom looked down as if surprised to see his hands clenched into fists.  “It was only years later that I learned he’d been held prisoner by the Cardassians.”</p><p>Janeway exhaled explosively. “It was more than held prisoner,” she said. “They tortured him.” <i>And ended up breaking him.</i> She refrained from mentioning that last part out loud, or what had happened to her while in Cardassian hands. </p><p>Tom lifted his head sharply and then nodded. “I knew he suffered, but I guess I never thought about it in detail. And afterwards…”</p><p>Janeway nodded, knowing that Tom’s understanding the context still didn’t take away the fact that his relationship with his father changed irrevocably after that. “He became harsher and more demanding, less tolerant,” she said. “I’m sorry.”</p><p>“That’s not on you,” Tom said immediately. “You don’t need to apologize for him.” He hesitated and added, “Or for marrying him after the divorce.” He ran his hand through his hair distractedly. “I suppose I took out a lot of my feelings about my father on you, and you didn’t deserve it.”</p><p><i>No, I didn’t.</i> Out loud, she just said, “I guess it’s only natural.” She took a deep breath. “I’d like to talk about how we’re going to go forward, you and me. If you just want to be a regular member of the crew and relate to me only as the captain, that’s fine, that’s what we’ll do. I won’t try to push for anything more.”</p><p>That caught his attention. “What do you mean?” he said. “What do <i>you</i> want?”</p><p>“We’re not just captain and crew,” Janeway said, picking her way carefully across unfamiliar territory. “I remember what you said when I went to see you in the Auckland prison, that just because I married your father didn’t mean we were family.” She paused. “But we <i>are</i> still connected on some level.”</p><p>There was understanding mixed with pity in his blue eyes. <i>Owen’s eyes.</i> “Because I’m my father’s son. And because we’re far from home and you don’t know if you’re ever going to see him again.”</p><p>She nodded, once again feeling the knife in her heart. “Partly that, but also partly because you’re <i>you</i>.”</p><p>“You don’t even know me,” he objected.</p><p>“Maybe not from before,” she said, recalling how she’d done her best to avoid social situations with Owen’s children in the past, “but since we’ve been on the ship together, I can’t help but notice your positive characteristics.”</p><p>“Such as?”</p><p>“Such as, you’re a good leader, a patient teacher and a kind person overall. I’ve seen you working with Ensign Baytart at the helm, making sure he has the basics and understands the nuances of flight. I’ve seen you in the Mess Hall, offering a comforting word or hand to someone who looks to be having a hard day. You spent time creating a public holoprogram for the entire crew to share, to promote bonding and forging us into a single unit.” She paused. “You have all the makings of a fine officer.”</p><p>He colored slightly at her words of praise but looked pleased. “So, you want a relationship with me,” he said. </p><p>She shot him a sharp look, wondering if his phrasing had been deliberate. “A <i>friendship</i>, and yes, I do.”</p><p>“How exactly would that work?” he said, tilting his head to one side as he considered her words.</p><p>“Well, I can’t be seen as showing favoritism, obviously, but we don’t have to ignore the fact that we <i>are</i> connected,” Janeway said, trying not to smile prematurely. She didn’t want to scare him off by seeming too enthusiastic. “We’re looking at a long journey home and it seems likely this experience will intensify bonds between the entire crew, some more deeply than others. The last thing we want to do is turn our backs on the bonds we already have.”</p><p>He nodded slowly. “So, we could have dinner together every now and then.”</p><p>“Dinner, yes,” she said, nodding vigorously. “And maybe you’ll invite me to join your holoprogram sometime? I think I heard someone say it’s modeled after a little bistro you knew in Paris?”</p><p>“Sure,” he said, flashing her a smile but then growing serious once more. “I do owe you thanks. You took a chance on me when almost no one else would, bringing me along on this mission as an observer, giving me a second chance. You appointed me chief flight operations officer when the easier route would have been to stick with the Starfleet hierarchy. And you went above and beyond to try to help me out now with the Banean murder rap.” A beat. “I promise I won’t let you down.”</p><p>Janeway carefully laid her hand on his arm, even now fearing a rebuff. When it didn’t come, she said, “Some of that is what’s expected between a captain and a member of the crew. And some of that is being Kathryn and Tom.” She closed her eyes for a moment to contain her emotions, opening them to see his smile. “I’m glad you’re willing to give both of us a chance.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>